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Mammals

Yellowstone is home to the largest concentration of mammals in the lower 48 states. In addition to having a diversity of small animals, Yellowstone is notable for its predator–prey complex of large mammals, including eight ungulate species (bighorn sheep, bison, elk, moose, mountain goats, mule deer, pronghorn, and white-tailed deer) and seven large predators (black bears, Canada lynx, coyotes, grizzly bears, mountain lions, wolverines, and wolves).

The National Park Service’s goal is to maintain the ecological processes that sustain these mammals and their habitats while monitoring the changes taking place in their populations. Seasonal or migratory movements take many species across the park boundary where they are subject to different management policies and uses of land by humans.

Understanding the links between climate change and these drivers will be critical to informing the ecology and management of Yellowstone’s wildlife in the years to come.

Quick Facts

67 different mammals live here, including many small mammals.

As of 2016, an estimated 690 grizzly bears live in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Black bears are common.

Gray wolves were restored in 1995. As of January 2016, 99 live primarily in the park.

Wolverine and lynx, which require large expanses of undisturbed habitat, live here.

Ungulates (Order Artiodactyla)

Ungulates are hooved herbivores (plant-eaters), and there are two types: even-toed and odd-toed. All of the native ungulates found in Yellowstone are even-toed, while there is one odd-toed ungulate you may see in the park: horses.

A common deer on the East Coast, they are scarcely seen in Yellowstone.

Rodents (Order Rodentia)

Rodents are a vital part of the ecosystems in Yellowstone, serving as a major food source for many of the park's predators. All rodents have a pair of incisors in their upper and lower jaws with a large gap between the incisors and the molars. The incisors continue to grow throughout their lives, so they continually wear them down through chewing.